Elongated brush members, which generally comprise a U-shaped channel in which is positioned an elongated strand of brush filaments, are common in the prior art. These elongated brush members can be subsequently formed or attached to other members in such a manner that almost an unlimited variety of brushes may result. In one form these elongated brush members may be coiled in a helical fashion around a central shaft or cylinder to form a rotary brush. Rotary brushes of this type are very useful in many industrial applications. This invention is concerned with this general type of brush.
Brushes of the type mentioned above wherein an elongated brush member is coiled around a central shaft or cylinder in a helical fashion have a severe shortcoming in that the forces exerted on the brush filament in use tend to be transferred to the fasteners whereby the elongated brush member is attached to the central shaft or cylinder. As a result of this force transfer, the fasteners must be over engineered and further if one of the fasteners fails, the brush becomes totally inoperative.
The problem as described above results from the fact that the frictional contact between the shaft or cylinder and the elongated brush member is minimal. As a result of the subject invention, the frictional contact between the elongated brush member and the central shaft or cylinder is increased to a point whereby forces are no longer readily transferred from the brush filaments to the fasteners.
In the prior art, the elongated brush member is attached at each of its ends to the central shaft or cylinder. Accordingly, if one fastener fails the elongated brush member uncoils in such a fashion that the brush becomes inoperative. Further, this failure often causes damage to related equipment when free brush components become engaged therein. Finally, the brush failure as described above can cause severe injury to persons working in the vicinity of said brush. The problems and risks discussed above are eliminated by the use of the subject invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a superior rotary brush wherein the brushing force is transmitted directly to the central shaft or cylinder and not to the fasteners whereby the brush member is attached to said central shaft or cylinder.
A further object of this invention is to provide a rotary brush which is unlikely to become disassembled by failure of the means whereby the brush member is attached to a central shaft or cylinder.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein: